Food for dogs with diarrhoea
A short bout of diarrhoea is common in dogs and often settles with a bland, easily digested diet and time. What follows is general guidance on what that looks like and when a food change is the right response — it is not a substitute for a vet visit if the diarrhoea is severe, lasts more than a day or two, or comes with vomiting, lethargy or blood.
Why diet matters during a mild upset
A short episode of diarrhoea is often caused by something straightforward — a sudden change of food, a scavenged scrap on a walk, or a stressful day — and a dog's gut usually needs less to digest while it settles, not more. A bland, low-fat, easily digested diet gives the digestive system less work to do than a rich or unfamiliar food would.
This is different from treating a cause. Diet supports recovery from a mild, short-lived upset; it does not address parasites, an infection, a food intolerance or anything more serious, which is why persistent or worsening diarrhoea needs a vet to look at rather than a longer trial of a different food.
What a bland or sensitive diet looks like
A specially formulated sensitive-stomach food is built around a limited number of easily digested ingredients and tends to be lower in fat than a standard recipe, which suits a gut that is currently working harder than usual. Wet food is often easier to tempt a fussy or slightly off-colour dog with than dry kibble during this period.
Introduce any new food gradually rather than swapping outright, even a food designed to be gentle — a dog whose stomach is already unsettled is not the ideal moment for an abrupt change. Small, more frequent meals rather than the usual one or two larger ones can also be easier on a recovering gut.
Keeping fresh water available matters just as much as what your dog eats, since diarrhoea can lead to a dog losing more fluid than usual. If your dog seems reluctant to drink, offering a little water more often, or adding a small amount of water to wet food, can help keep them hydrated while their stomach settles.
When it is time to see a vet
A single loose stool that clears up within a day is rarely a cause for alarm in an otherwise well dog who is eating, drinking and behaving normally. Diarrhoea lasting more than 24 to 48 hours, or in a puppy, senior or already unwell dog, is worth a call to your vet rather than waiting it out.
See a vet the same day, rather than waiting, if diarrhoea is accompanied by vomiting, blood, lethargy, a swollen abdomen, or your dog seems to be in real discomfort. None of that is something a change of food on its own is going to fix, and a vet needs to work out the cause before it can be properly treated.
Foods formulated for this
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
James Wellbeloved Adult Breed Dry Dog Food Turkey Rice
A hypoallergenic dry food for adult dogs, in small and large breed versions, built around single-source turkey protein
From£45.75
James Wellbeloved Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Fish Veg
Grain-free fish kibble for adult dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin included
From£12.75
James Wellbeloved Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey Rice
A hypoallergenic dry food for adult dogs, built around a single source of turkey protein
From£41.45
Burgess Sensitive Adult Dog Turkey
Complete turkey and rice dry food for adult dogs in a 12.5KG bag
£48.89
James Wellbeloved Senior Breed Dry Dog Food Turkey Rice
Turkey and rice kibble for senior small-breed dogs, sized for smaller mouths
From£11.69
Harringtons Lamb & Rice
A 15kg complete dry dog food with lamb and freshly prepared chicken, for dogs from 8 weeks
£45.99
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey
A complete dry dog food with turkey and freshly prepared chicken, for dogs from 8 weeks
From£13.09
Burns Adult/Senior Dog Original Lamb and Brown Rice
Single-source lamb and brown rice, formulated for adult and senior dogs with sensitivities
£35.99
Burns Adult/Senior Dog Hypoallergenic Mixer
Hypoallergenic dry mixer for combining with wet food or a home-cooked diet - not a complete food
£13.49
Burns Adult/Senior Dog Sensitive Grain Free Turkey & Potato Dry Dog Food
Six-ingredient grain-free dry food for adult and senior dogs, single-source turkey
£15.49
Dr John Hypoallergenic Duck and Salmon
Hypoallergenic dry dog food for sporting and working dogs, duck and salmon based
From£7.49
Common questions
- What human foods help a dog with diarrhoea?
- Plain, boiled chicken and rice are commonly used as a short-term bland meal, though a specially formulated sensitive-stomach food does the same job with a more complete nutritional balance. Either way, this is a short-term measure for a mild upset, not a long-term diet, and ongoing diarrhoea needs a vet.
- Should I stop feeding my dog if they have diarrhoea?
- A brief period without food is sometimes advised for adult dogs with a mild upset, but this should not apply to puppies, seniors or dogs with existing health conditions without your vet's guidance, and water should always still be available. Ask your vet before withholding food from any dog you are at all unsure about.
- How long does diarrhoea usually last in dogs?
- A mild case linked to something like a sudden food change often clears within a day or two on a bland or sensitive diet. Anything lasting longer than that, getting worse, or affecting a puppy, senior or unwell dog should be checked by a vet rather than managed at home indefinitely.
- Can a change of food cause diarrhoea in dogs?
- Yes, switching foods too quickly is one of the most common causes of a short-lived upset stomach. Introducing any new food gradually over about a week, mixing it with the old food in increasing amounts, is the usual way to avoid this.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.